Matches
by Ayumi Elric
Summary: [Based on The Little Match Girl]'Matches! Can someone, please buy a match' A broken sounding voice called through the busy streets of Central. 'Please sir? A match? Mma’am? What about you? Please' [No pairings. Character death]


**Hello and welcome to Matches! Inspired by my cruel walk through hail and snow yesterday and me yelling "Maaaatches! Anybody wanna buy a MATCH?!" for no reason, based on the story The Little Match Girl!**

**Dedicated to Alexa, and Alexa only, cause this is her birthday fic. n.n**

**And Disclaimer: I do not own the Little Match Girl. Or Full Metal Alchemist. Matches though, I do own. **

**I'm surprisingly happy and hyper right now to be writing angst, wonder why.**

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"Matches! Can someone, please buy a match?" A broken sounding voice called through the busy streets of Central. The voice belonged to a young man, who was walking around aimlessly, trying to sell from his small basket of matches. He was dirty, scratched up. His clothes were ragged and old, thin and loose on his skinny body.

"Please sir? A match? M-ma'am? What about you? Please?" People ignored him. What gave them the right to? He was the disgrace, the rogue puppy of the military that bit through his leash. They had nothing to do with such scum. That damn sinner, Edward Elric.

Ed trudged around, desperately trying to make money. Why? Why has everything gone downhill for him? The human transmutation…he shuddered unconsciously, not from the cold, but from the image of his brother's still body, a bag of blood, bones and gore.

Al was dead now, all because he failed. Probably safe and warm with his mother, as Ed walked around in the snow, cold and alone.

Ed stopped for a moment, looking at the white sky, as the snow flurries whipped around in the sharp wind. Yes, that was when everything fell apart, wasn't it? The military found out about the transmutation, and eventually, of everything else. How he was stealing information from them, teaming with the homunculi, almost wiping out the whole of Central. Immediately, they took his license from him, only letting him live when he told all he knew about the homunculi and their plans.

He wondered what happened to them. He barely cared, just concerned if Envy was alive, hunting for his life. He remembered Lust, how happy she seemed when he promised he'd turn her human with the Stone, how she acted like a close friend, listening to his every word and comforting him, how hurt she looked when he betrayed her…he shook it off. Lust was simply a soulless doll, she had no real feelings.

"Brother!" He felt a tug on his sleeve. "Brother!"

The hell? "Al?" He heard himself say without thinking. He sighed. _Of course it's not Al, he's dead._ He reminded himself. He looked down, his face softening. A little boy, looking about 4 was tugging to his sleeve. He had bright emerald eyes and a messy tuft of bronze hair, falling into his face. The boy's face fell, when he realized Ed wasn't his brother. He started crying.

Ed sighed again, kneeling in front of the boy. He winced, feeling snow seep through the thin layer of cloth covering his legs. "It'll be okay, little boy."

The boy sniffed, roughly rubbing his eye with his fist. "Brother?"

"I'll help you find your brother, okay?"

The boy nodded, and Ed stood again, holding his hand. "What's your name?"

"Sam."

"Okay Sam, you can trust me." Ed smiled weakly at his innocence.

Sam nodded, walking along with Ed, looking around. Ed continued to try and sell, though never getting a second glance.

Minutes past. Sam started crying again. Ed started to feel sorry for him, starting to imagine Al, all alone in the snow, searching for him. His mom tried to call him back, to the warmth of their house, but Al refused, searching endlessly, calling for him. "Brother….Brother!!"

"Brother!" Sam said happily, trying to tug Ed in the opposite direction.

"Sam!" A voice answered, as an older boy ran towards him. Same bronze hair, though longer, falling into his face in wisps and powered with snow, same bright emerald eyes, shining in joy.

The two brothers embraced, the older one ruffling Sam's hair. Ed watched them sadly, missing his little brother more then ever.

"Hey, thanks for helping us." Said the older brother, extending his hand. "I'm Ryan by the way."

Ed nodded, grasping Ryan's hand and letting go quickly. He couldn't help but notice the silver watch hanging from his pocket; he grimaced.

"It really meant a lot to me…how can I…oh." Ryan noticed the small basket on Ed's arm. "Oh…c-can I buy one?" He pointed to the basket, starting to rummage through his pockets.

"Sure." Ryan smiled, handing a small wad of money to him. Ed reached for a match, but Ryan shook his head. "Keep it." He said, picking Sam up into his arms.

"Thank you."

"Good luck." Ryan said with a wave, starting to walk off.

"Oh…and Ryan?" He stopped, looking back at Ed. "…take care of him." He gestured towards Sam.

Ryan nodded saying "Merry Christmas!", running off. Maybe to his family, where he belonged; maybe into Headquarters, where he was fulfilling some distant dream.

_Oh yeah…it's Christmas tomorrow._ Ed sighed, looking at the money he was given. Just enough for a warm loaf of bread.

-

Ed sat near the opening of a dark alley, clutching to his basket and a small loaf of bread. He slowly ripped it in half, staring at the warm, soft insides. He felt cold, alone, unwanted. He took a bite, thinking about the two brothers, how pure they were. He wished them luck.

The snow was already starting to stop, Ed decided. _I guess I was lucky today…I got to eat something._ He frowned at his bread. The wind was just getting worse, stinging his skin. He looked at the matches. It couldn't hurt to use just one, right? No one really needed matches nowadays anyway…he took a match and lit it.

The flame was small, though bright and just warm enough to heat his fingers without burning them. Ed stared at the flame. Is this really how it has to end?

The whole alley suddenly seemed to fill with light. He looked up, confused. His eyes widened, as he gasped, icy mist hanging in the air in front of his face. The bread fell into the snow.

A huge turkey dinner lay before him, propped up on a long table covered in white sheets, lit with candles.

Ed stared at it. It was just too good to be true. He started standing, reaching for it, when the match burned out. The dinner disappeared. His face fell. He chuckled. _Only a hallucination…_ He told himself, picking up his fallen bread and brushing the snow off. But, it felt just too real…he stuffed it into his mouth.

He tossed the match aside and lit another match, looking around for something to magically appear. Another sigh. _I knew it…it's just not scientific._ He looked at the little flame again.

The alley was suddenly filled with warmth. Ed looked up, bewildered, at a large, old fashioned iron stove in front of him, coal burning merrily inside.

"The hell?" He breathed. He dropped the match. It hit the snow, choked and died. He cursed his luck under his breath, grabbing the match box. _Something weird is going on._

He lit the match, this time staring directly into the flame, waiting. Warmth, light. He looked up and gasped involuntarily. A huge Christmas tree, covered in bright red candles, surrounded by gifts all marked off for him. This time, he lunged at the tree, protecting the flame desperately. He touched it softly, feeling the dark green ferns prickle against his skin. "Amazing…"

The match burned out. The tree disappeared. Ed felt near to tears. It wasn't fair…!

He lit another one. He stared at the flame. He waited. Nothing. What was taking so long?

A faint glow. Ed looked up and gasped again.

It was Al, surrounded in a dull glow. He was sitting on his knees in front of him, staring in awe at him. "B….brother…"

He felt hot tears fill his eyes. "Al…"

Al started to smile, extending his hand towards him. Ed did the same. Their fingertips touched. Ed smiled. It was really him. They both flattened their palms on each other, mirroring the other. Their fingers intertwined tightly.

The match flickered, and so did Al's form. Al looked surprised, then horrified as he saw the match start to die.

"No…no, Al, don't go. Stay with me, please!"

"Brother!" The flame died. Al was gone. Ed found himself holding onto the air, tears cascading down his face. He quickly fumbled for the match box, grabbing a match and lighting it. _Come back! _He thought, staring at the flame.

Slowly, another dull glow. It suddenly brightened.

Ed looked up. Another gasp. "M-mom…"

Trisha was standing in front of him, surrounded in a bright yellow, almost white flame, thin around her form. She smiled, tears filling her eyes. "Edward…"

He just stared at her, basking in her glow, loving her, missing her. She said not another word, just watched him, smiling. She started to flicker.

Ed quickly grabbed another match and lit it. The glow returned, strong as ever. Trisha looked surprised, then smiled again.

And they continued watching each other, hoping this moment would never end. She would start to fade, then Ed would light another match as the one before it died, and they would smile at each other.

It couldn't end. Ed started to panic. This will be the last time, wouldn't it?! He started lighting multiple matches, holding them all in his fist.

"Ed…it's okay." Trisha whispered. "I won't leave you."

"But…" Tears started flowing again. "M-mom…"

Trisha pointed to the sky. Ed looked at where she was pointing. A silver comet shot through the sky.

"A shooting star…"

"Ed, remember what I told you before? What happens when a shooting star flies?" Trisha smiled.

He returned the smile. "You said that then a person was just admitted to heaven. But Mom-"

She reached for him. "Come Edward. Al's waiting."

Ed grabbed her hand, letting the matches drop to the floor. They continued to burn, brighter even. Trisha pulled him closer to her, the light spreading over Ed's body. The matches burned out. They disappeared.

-

Christmas morning. The body of a young man was found in an alley, surrounded by burnt out matches.

"It seemed he had tried to warm himself."

"The poor thing…frozen to death…"

"Wasn't he the Full Metal Alchemist?"

A smile was on his face. He was home.

**-Owari**

**Aww, that was sad. –tear- Hope you liked it! Please review!**


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